lowing the gold to
drop like molten lead upon the slate and granite substratum, where when
undisturbed by the action of water, it now remains imbedded in the
rock. This is not mere opinion, but a statement made from personal
observation in working in deep diggings, where it was evident that the
gold had not been disturbed since it was melted from the quartz veins,
I having frequently taken pieces from the slate that fitted the
interstices as closely as it would have done if I had melted it myself
and turned it in to cool.

The best mining country appears to be a strip of land about 30 or 40
miles wide, running north and south, or nearly so, and extending the
whole length of California, and as I have been informed on reliable
authority as far north as Puget's Sound, where gold has been found in
small quantities. This information I had from a gentleman of
intelligence and observation, from Missouri, Mr. Sherwin, who spent the
summer of 1850 at that place. The quartz veins also lie in this general
course, one of which may be traced hundreds of miles. No great amount
of gold has been found out of this district, although it is possible
that in time it may be; but in my opinion, if the original stratum of
quartz veins extended back into the mountains, that it there ceases to
be the surface, and becomes the substratum; if this proves to be the
case, there is no estimating the mineral wealth of California. It will
take ages to exhaust the supply. The supposition that this stratum does
reach back of the now known district, under the mountains, is a
reasonable one, as the rock in view, generally, on the first range or
plains, is slate; in the second range, quartz veins resting in and on
slate, in the third range granite ridges, with occasional spur quartz
veins in view, and on the fourth or summit range, either granite, or
molten rock, or lava cooled off, as it was cast out of the numerous
extinguished craters, California furnishes a great field for study to
the geologist, and much may be learned which is not now known, and
which will be useful in developing her vast resources.

Many suppose that gold was not known here until discovered by the
Americans. This I am disposed to doubt, but whether known to civilized
man, or only the native digger, I would not hazard an opinion. A
discovery which occurred immediately under my own observation,
satisfies me that the gold had been sought for many years before that
time. A miner in sin